Nationwide Lift Ticket Now Available

October 29, 2002

PARK CITY, (UT) – Ski and snowboard fans can have their own ‘gold’ medal while also supporting the dreams of Olympic ski and snowboard hopefuls with the 2002-2003 Gold Pass, the ultimate lift ticket good at over 260 American resorts.

The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) in partnership with the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) unveiled the 30th anniversary limited edition lift ticket that offers access to thousands of ski trails across the country including major resorts like Vail, Park City, Deer Valley, Aspen, Stowe, Killington, Sun Valley, and Squaw Valley as well as regional ski areas such as Wisp Ski Area (Maryland), Hunter Mountain (New York), Sevens Springs Mountain (Pennsylvania), and Snowshoe Mountain (West Virginia), to name a few. The Gold Pass is fully transferable – the only such program of its kind – allowing friends, family members and corporate clients to take full advantage of the pass.

“Both the donor and the athletes benefit from the Ski Team’s Gold Pass program,” said American ski legend Picabo Street, who as a young up-and-comer learned firsthand the support such programs provide. “The athletes on our team receive funds for training and development, while the Gold Pass holders get to ski or snowboard almost anywhere in America.”

Join past Gold Pass purchasers like talk show host Montel Williams, Steve Miller of The Steve Miller Band, tennis great Chris Evert, and Teresa Heinz, of the Heinz Corporation family, who each year requests Gold Pass No. 57. The Gold Pass program raises over $1.4 million each year to support the training, development and competition needs of America’s Olympic hopefuls in alpine, freestyle and Nordic skiing as well as snowboarding. Only Americans send Americans to the Olympics, unlike competing national teams that receive support from their governments.

While the U.S. Olympic Ski and Snowboard Team met its self-imposed challenge to earn 10 Olympic medals at the 2002 Winter Games, the bar has been set higher — to be the best in the world by the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics in Italy. Support the home team and reserve your Gold Pass today, then start skiing the country! A limited number of Gold Passes are available for $5,000 each (tax deductible to the amount allowed by federal law). Contact the USSA Gold Pass hotline toll-free at 1-800-9PICABO.

– Quick Gold Pass Facts at a Glance –

** New Feature: No waiting at the ticket window at Colorado resorts as they will scan the Gold Pass just as they do lift tickets in line.

– In its 30th season, a limited number of Gold Passes are minted each season for the U.S. Ski Team by the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA).

– Purchasers receive an attractive gold medallion pass, which can be redeemed for a lift ticket at over 260 major participating ski/snowboard areas in 35 states.

– The U.S. Ski Team Gold Pass is fully transferable to an unlimited number of people over the season, making the transferability of the Gold Pass a popular tool of corporations for client entertainment.

– The U.S. Ski Team Gold Pass raises over $1.4 million annually for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team, making it the largest U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team Foundation fundraising program.

– The U.S. Ski Team Gold Pass helps support the training, travel, development, and competition needs of U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team athletes as they prepare for the 2006 Winter Olympics.